An image processing method will be described for the efficient storage and display of high resolution digital images in a multiuse environment. A multiuse environment is one where the user has the option of selecting the type of display medium and the desired resolution on this medium. In particular, two types of display media are considered: video monitors and color hardcopies, through photographic, thermal imaging, or other means. Versions of an original digital image are made available at various resolutions to allow for the display of an HDTV quality image on video, an NTSC quality image with PAL/SECAM compatibility on video, and a sub-NTSC quality image on video, as well as a very high quality image on color hardcopy. However, it is important to note that the techniques described herein are not limited to these display media or resolutions.
The present invention uses a multiresolution or hierarchical structuring of the image data to allow for rapid access to the various image formats. It is also desirable to encode this hierarchical image data in an efficient manner so as to reduce the storage requirements on a digital storage media, e.g., optical discs or magnetic tape, and to allow for the rapid transfer of the image data from the storage media to the output device. Furthermore, it is desirable to minimize the hardware required to implement such a system. In particular, it is desirable to minimize the hardware required to access the lower resolution images along with its cost. Systems which use a hierarchical structuring of the image data are often termed progressive transmission since they allow image quality to be progressively refined; however, they are generally not designed specifically for a multiuse environment.